Apparatus and method for high resolution temperature measurement and for hyperthermia therapy

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method for increasing the resolution of a linear array of fiber Bragg gratings by applying a plastic coating having a high CTE over the optical fiber. Apparatus and method for determining the temperature of each of a succession of points along a tissue portion during hyperthermia treatment includes an optical fiber with a succession of closely spaced fiber Bragg gratings. Each grating is responsive to a different wavelength and is sensitive to ambient temperature to change that wavelength as a function of temperature. A tunable laser operative continuously over a range of wavelengths including those to which the gratings respond is used to interrogate the gratings. Sensitivity-enhancing coatings are used on the fibers and the lasers are tuned over very short time cycles.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 11/325,907filed on Dec. 30, 2005 the content of which is incorporated by referenceherein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to temperature sensing using fiber Bragg gratingsin optical fibers.

This invention relates to fiber Bragg gratings in an optical fiber formeasuring temperature in a series of closely spaced positions and moreparticularly to the closely spaced measurement of temperature of tissueexposed to hyperthermia therapy.

The invention also relates to on-line temperature profiling duringhyperthermia therapy.

BACKGROUND

Sensing the value of environmental parameters such as temperature andstrain using an optical fiber with a plurality of fiber Bragg gratingsis known. For example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,996,419 there is disclosed forsensing strain a multitude of separate longitudinally spaced Braggsensing gratings of substantially equal initial periodicity for all ofthe sensing gratings, each of the sensing gratings being situated at adifferent one of a multitude of separate locations.

During certain procedures, such as hyperthermia therapy a surgeon needsto know the temperature profile in the tissue at and near the area undertreatment. A number of techniques and technologies are in use or beinginvestigated for temperature sensing in conjunction with hyperthermiatherapy. In one such technique the temperature at different locations isdetermined by inserting a cannula in the area under treatment, and byinserting a single point temperature sensor into the cannula. The pointtemperature sensor is moved within the cannula to different locationsfor reading temperature. Such a procedure is laborious, and of uncertainprecision because of the need to relocate the point sensor for eachmeasurement at each of closely spaced locations. Moreover, thetemperature profile determined in this manner is not totally reliableand is not obtained simultaneously for the succession of locations.Another technique is the use of several point sensors separatelyconnected and placed.

The need for temperature profiling occurs, for example, in cancertreatment when a tumor is to be heated during hyperthermia treatment. Inthis case, the tumor is to be heated, for example, in the range 41-45°C. (up to 113° F.), while the surrounding tissue is to be maintained atlower temperatures to avoid damaging healthy tissue.

Although hyperthermia therapy is under use and investigation for cancer,it is understood to be useful for other treatments. One such treatmentis for BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia).

As far as is known at present, different hyperthermia therapies employdifferent temperature ranges. For example, in investigational work withwhole body hyperthermia a range of 40-42° C. is employed. Inhyperthermia therapy to sensitize cancer cells to the effects of othertherapies such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy and biologicaltherapies, localized heating to temperature in the range of 41-45° C.have been used. Other techniques are used to achieve much highertemperature in order to ablate the tissue being treated. Thesetechniques have been investigated in the brain, liver and prostate andrequire very precise placement of the energy in the tissue that needs tobe ablated. In all types of hyperthermia therapy, temperature monitoringis critical.

Body tissue temperatures as high as 45° C. (113° F.) have been used inhyperthermia therapy. The effectiveness of hyperthermia therapy isrelated to the temperature achieved and other variables. In this regardit is important that the desired temperature is reached, but notexceeded. To accomplish this the temperature of the tumor or the areatargeted for treatment and surrounding tissue most be closely monitored.Therefore accurate in vivo temperature monitoring is necessary, not onlyat the point or area under treatment but also at adjacent tissue. Also,for several of the heating methods, such as by microwave radiation,sensor immunity to electromagnetic fields is required. Consequently, itwould be advantageous to provide a temperature profiling system andmethod that can measure temperature simultaneously (or nearly so) at anumber of closely spaced locations, and that can do so repeatedly overshort time intervals. Also, small changes in temperature should be madeavailable over time intervals to measure change in temperature

In certain hyperthermia applications the sensor must be able to measurediscrete points over a short distance and the measuring points being asvery close together. For example, the total distance may be 5 cm, with10 measuring points. Typical hyperthermia treatment is applied to tissueareas spanning a length of about 1 cm-5 cm. Consequently in order tomeasure temperature at a plurality of point along such a distance veryshort fiber Bragg gratings must be employed. Also, in some hyperthermiaapplications it is desirable that each measuring point have atemperature resolution of at least 0.1° C. It is also desirable that theseveral measuring points provide sufficient spatial resolution that thetemperature at one point does not overly influence the temperaturereading at adjacent points, even if the measuring points are very closetogether. The invention in its various aspects and according to itsprinciples address these requirements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing, not to scale, of an optical fiber havinga linear array of FBGs and a plastic coating.

FIG. 2 is an end view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing, not to scale, of an optical fiber havinga linear array of FBGs and a plastic coating and an area affected by useof an adhesion promoter between them.

FIG. 4 is an end view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a system for use in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a spectral plot of reflection spectra from FBGs according tothe present invention.

FIG. 7 is a temperature response plot 10 FBGs of a PMMA coated 10 sensorarray.

FIG. 8 is a comparative plot of temperature response of a PMMA coatedFBG and an identical uncoated FBG.

FIG. 9 is a comparative plot of temperature response of a polyethylenecoated FBG and an identical uncoated FBG.

FIG. 10 is a comparative plot of temperature response of a Teflon coatedFBG and an identical uncoated FBG.

FIG. 11 is a picture of a system in use for hyperthermia therapy usingthe present invention.

FIG. 12 is a plot showing a reflection curve and a fitted curve usingthe present invention.

FIG. 13 is a plot showing the variation of sensor resolution withsampling rate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a plurality oflongitudinally spaced fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) is formed on anoptical fiber core. For purposes of this description the term “opticalfiber” is taken to mean an optical fiber core and cladding, that is, theglass portion; unless the context requires a different meaning. It isalso understood that FBGs are generally in the core portion. Accordingto the invention, each of the plurality of FBGs is constructed torespond to a different reflection spectrum. Further, each FBG isoperative to have a reflection spectrum that varies in a mannerresponsive to the temperature that is proximate to the FBG. Therefore,for a given state in which the temperature at each FBG is to bedetermined, each FBG will reflect at a different wavelength. Further,when the temperature changes proximate each FBG, the reflection spectrumshifts in response to the temperature changes imposed on the FBGs.Detection of the wavelength shift can be converted to temperature changebased on a calibration. Since each FBG has a different reflectionspectrum, the instantaneous reflection and the shift due to atemperature change, for each FBG can be discriminated from the others.In the prior art an FBG will give a reflection shift on the order of 0.1nm/° C. due to change in temperature.

In the technology of FBGs, an FBG is defined as a periodic or aperiodicperturbation of the effective absorption coefficient and/or theeffective refractive index of an optical waveguide. More simply put, aBragg Grating can reflect a predetermined narrow or broad range ofwavelengths of light incident on the grating, while passing all otherwavelengths of the light. An FBG of the type under consideration herehas an initial periodicity when it is created (called “writing”). Thereflected wavelength at that initial periodicity at the time offabrication of the FBG is referred to herein as the “specified Braggwavelength” or the “specified characteristic peak wavelength”. Forpurposes of this description those terms are used as in the technologybut limited to the initial conditions at fabrication of the FBG. Thoseterms are considered inapplicable to detected spectral plots that areresolved sufficiently for the purposes of the invention because thespectral plot is too indistinct to define a peak. As will be seen below,in application of the present invention to obtain high temperatureresolution, it has been found that the spectral plot at any given timedoes not exhibit a sufficiently distinct peak to allow for providing asoutput the needed resolution. Consequently such a reflection cannot besaid to have a characteristic peak until additional processing iscarried out. That additional processing will be described below.

A goal of the present invention is to provide a much greater reflectionshift per degree change in temperature, Kt, and as will be seen, thiscan be accomplished with the present invention on the order of 50 pm/°C. By this means much smaller changes in temperature can be measured.

It is understood under specified conditions the wavelength separation ofFBGs is determined by the formula Kt×Tr+X where Kt is the desired changein reflected wavelength per unit temperature, Tr is the expected ordesired maximum temperature range, and X is any expected wavelengthchange induced by non-thermal effects. Consequently as the desired Ktgoes up for a given temperature, the wavelength separation must alsoincrease. And conversely, as Kt goes down, the wavelength separation candecrease. The temperature range for these purposes is defined asstarting at the temperature of fabrication of the FBGs to the maximumtemperature to be measured.

This is accomplished by coating the optical fiber with a non-conductive,preferably plastic, material having a coefficient of thermal expansion(CTE) much greater than that of the optical fiber.

It is a further goal of the present invention that by forming the FBGssufficiently close together and sufficiently small enough to respond tothe temperatures of tissue spaced over the selected distance, atemperature profile can be produced without the laborious repositioningnecessitated by a point sensor apparatus of the prior art, or with aplurality of separate point sensors placed at selected places as forhyperthermia applications.

In order to obtain accurate temperature readings from a fiber, soconstructed, a wavelength-tunable light source that tunes over awavelength range in a given time interval is used. A sampling rate ofthe returned signal must then be applied sufficient to provide theneeded resolution data. In addition, robust software algorithms are usedto perform peak searches to construct peak locations for the FBGreflection spectra at each measurement cycle. The algorithms providethresholding, binning, curve smoothing and curve fitting as are alldescribed below.

To this end, apparatus, in accordance with this invention, includes atunable laser, which changes the output wavelength as a function of timeover a selected wavelength range. The reflected light from the FBG isincident on a photodetector, as the wavelength is swept and thereby, byrepeated cycles, makes a wavelength change measurement as a function oftime at the selected sampling rate. The system is calibrated to a basewavelength/temperature equivalent, thereby allowing each reflectedwavelength to be converted to a temperature measurement; and repeatedcycles to output change in temperature over time.

The present invention, in one aspect, provides a new and improved systemand method for measuring temperature at a plurality of points by use ofa plurality of FBGs linearly spaced on an optical fiber.

In a particular aspect the system and method of the invention providesimproved temperature sensitivity, for example responding to and allowingmeasurement of temperature changes at least as small as 0.1° C., andpossibly as small as 0.02° C. As will be explained in detail below thisis accomplished by surrounding the optical fiber with a coating that hasa CTE greater than that of the optical fiber.

In another particular aspect the system and method of the inventionprovides much smaller spatial resolution than was previously available,for example the space between adjacent FBGs or the spatial resolution ofthe temperature measurement can be as small as 1 mm. If the FBG can beconstructed with a length of about 5 mm, then for a sensor having atotal length of about 50 mm as many as 10 sensor sites can be created.

In another aspect, the system and method of the invention is fortemperature measurements as part of apparatus for and in the process ofhyperthermia therapy.

In another aspect, it is recognized that the short FBGs necessary forplacing them over a short distance do not exhibit a sufficiently precisepeak wavelength for the accuracy needed for very small temperaturedifferences. Therefore a curve fitting and smoothing procedure isapplied.

For use in detecting and monitoring temperature changes as a profilealong a distance a plurality of FBGs can be spaced apart along aselected length of optical fiber.

One aspect of the invention is a temperature sensor having a pluralityof fiber Bragg gratings spaced apart in the optical fiber; in whichincreased sensitivity to temperature changes can be achieved by coatingthe optical fiber with a material that has a coefficient of thermalexpansion higher than to that of the optical fiber. This aspect is moreparticularly defined as using a non-conductive coating so that it can beapplied to usage where an electromagnetic field is present whereby thenon-conductive coating does not respond to or cause a variation in theelectromagnetic field. Use of a non-conductive coating is particularlyuseful for hyperthermia therapy in which microwave energy is used.

Another aspect of the invention is a temperature sensor as describedabove in which the plurality of FBGs are interrogated in timed cycles(scanning rate) in order to obtain changes in temperature at each FBGlocation and thereby changes in the temperature profile. In the contextof hyperthermia therapy it is necessary to detect very small changes intemperature at each location of an FBG, such as at least 0.1° C. It isalso important to obtain very accurate spatial resolution of temperaturemeasurement, that is, the number of measurement points, by making thelength of the FBGs as small as possible over the desired distance forcreating the temperature profile. The distances over which temperatureprofiling for hyperthermia therapy is required are very short rangingfrom about 2 cm to about 5 cm. This is especially a problem where thenumber of measurement points required may be as many as 10, over a 5 cmdistance. In order to place 10 FBGs in a distance of about 5 cm, eachFBG must be very short. However as FBGs are shortened, their reflectionspectra at any given set of parameters broadens from a sharp peak to abroad “top hat” form along with considerable side lobes. Thus, when therequirement is at once to obtain very precise spatial separation ofclosely spaced measuring points coupled with the requirement for veryprecise temperature sensitivity; a system is required that can bothobtain the required temperature sensitivity and spatial discriminationand discriminate the data obtained from reflection spectra that areimprecise.

In the preferred embodiments of the invention a resolution of at least0.1° C. is desired. A plastic coating of the optical fiber having a CTEof at least twice that of the optical fiber enables this resolution.However, in the preferred embodiment, an indistinct peak of the spectralplot of a reflected FBG signal is caused by the short length of the FBGcoupled with the need to resolve the spectral plot to an accuracy ofabout 0.1° C.

Where short FBGs such as about 5 mm or less are employed, in order todetect and provide an output of the desired resolution it is necessaryto apply the desired sensitivity range or specification, Kt, asufficiently large sampling rate and a peak detection algorithm.

The preferred coating CTE is at least about 2×10^(−6 and) forhyperthermia applications, at least about 10×10⁻⁶.

Sampling rates of from about 5 kS/s to about 100 kS/s are preferred(above this rate improvement of the resolution is insignificant). Thiscan be seen in FIG. 13.

Temperature Sensor

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a temperature sensor 10 having an optical fiber 12having a core 14 and a cladding 16 in which a series of 10 fiber Bragggratings (FGBs) 18 a, 18 b, 18 c, 18 d, 18 e, 18 f, 18 g, 18 h, 18 i,and 18 j (shown schematically) are spaced apart in the fiber core 14.The temperature sensor 10 has a non-conductive coating 22 in mechanicalcontact with the optical fiber 12.

The non-conductive coating 22 has a coefficient of thermal expansion(CTE) substantially greater than that of the optical fiber, in the rangeof at least about twice that of the optical fiber. Preferably the CTE ofthe coating is at least about 10 times that of the fiber. Furtherpreferably, the CTE of the coating is in the range of at least about2×10⁻⁶/° C. and up, and for hyperthermia applications, preferably fromat least about 10×10⁻⁶/° C. For applications in an electromagnetic fieldenvironment, the coating 22 is a non-conductive material such as aplastic material formed around the fiber. The coating will be appliedover the optical fiber after the FBGs have been formed. In the case of apolymeric non-conductive plastic material, it will be applied and curedover the fiber.

As will be seen, the temperature sensor 10 functions to increase thetemperature sensing sensitivity of the FBGs by means of the coatingexpanding or contracting due to temperature change and thereby strainingthe FBGs. The strain on the FBGs changes their reflection spectra anddetection of a peak wavelength of the reflection spectra is used alongwith a correlation function to determine the temperature or the changein temperature as related to a base or series of prior measurementcycles.

Three factors influence the precision of temperature measurement and thevery small temperature resolution according to the present invention.These are:

The thermo-optic effect by which the index of refraction of the glasschanges with temperature;

The change in length of the glass with change in temperature, which actsupon the FBGs to shift the reflection spectrum;

The strain effect on the FBGs caused by the much greater expansion andcontraction of the coating causing a shift in the reflection spectrum.

The first two of these effects in a typical FBG allows on the order of0.1 nm change in reflected wavelength per 10° C. However in order to beable to detect temperature measurement on the order of 0.1° C., it isnecessary to be able to read on the order of 0.001 nm, that is 1 pm,change in the reflected wavelength in the FBGs and the present inventionprovides this level of resolution and detection of temperature change.

A number of factors make this possible. One of these factors is thequality of the contact between the coating 22 and the optical fiber 12.A more firm or stronger contact will result in greater translation ofthe expansion or contraction of the coating into strain of the opticalfiber resulting in a greater shift of the reflection spectra of theFBGs. In other words, for say 0.1° C. change in temperature, the coatingexpands (or contracts) more than would the optical fiber alone due toits higher CTE, and to the extent that greater temperature response istransmitted as more strain on the FBG, higher resolution is possible.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an alternative embodiment in which the temperaturesensor 10 has the FBGs 18 a-18 j as in the previous example. In thiscase however an intermediate material 24 is in place between the opticalfiber 12 and the coating 22. The intermediate material 24 is a materialthat will increase the mechanical connection of the coating 22 and theoptical fiber 12. It could be an adhesive or an adhesion promoter orother material that will bond to both the coating 18 and the fiber 12.Silane adhesion promoters are especially applicable.

In operation the temperature sensor when exposed to temperaturevariation will experience a degree of change in thickness and length(expansion or contraction) of the coating that will impose a radial andaxial force (tension or compression) on the fiber 12, seen as strain onthe FBGs. The change in temperature is also experienced in the fiber 12itself resulting in a component of the spectral shift of the FBGs; butthe use of the high CTE coating, by translating its higher thermalresponse to temperature change to a mechanical force on the fiber,causes a much greater effect on the FBGs. This much greater effect isdefined herein as thermal force strain amplification on the fiber 12.That increase in strain per ° C. results in a greater wavelength shiftper ° C., consequently, greater sensitivity. The sensitivity totemperature change in an optical fiber, in terms of wavelength shift per° C., Kt, without the benefit of the present invention is typically inthe range of 9-10 pm/° C. With the non-conductive plastic coating of thepreferred embodiment of the present invention, Kt is seen to increase tothe level of 50-55 pm/° C.

Consequently, the shift in the reflection spectra of the FBGs is muchgreater than in the case in which the thermal effect is only that of theoptical fiber itself. Coatings that have been used are polyethylene,polypropylene, polymethylmethacrylate, polytetrachloride, polystyreneand polytetraflouroethylene (Teflon) and polyamide.

With the described structure of the sensor, much greater sensitivity totemperature change can be transmitted from the FBGs. Temperature changeas small as 0.1° C. or even smaller; in theory, as small as 0.02° C. canbe detected.

Non-conductive polymeric materials that have CTE levels 5 or more timesthat of the optical fiber material are considered suitable for thecoating in hyperthermia therapy applications.

In most cases the coating's CTE falls off at temperature over its glasstransition temperature (T_(g)). Consequently such plastics should beused only in temperature ranges below the T_(g). However some materialsdo not follow that condition, and can be used even above their T_(g).The following materials have sufficiently high CTEs in the order of tensto 100 times that of fused silica that they are considered applicablefor use in constructing the sensor; polyvinylchloride (both below andabove its T_(g)), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene,polytetrachloride, polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene, polypropylene,polytetraflouroethylene and polyamide.

For medical hyperthermia therapy purposes heating to a temperature rangeof 40-55° C. is desired; except that for ablation therapy highertemperatures are used. Use of a polymer coating with a CTE in the abovetemperature range has been shown to increase the temperature response ofFBGs from the nominal value of standard telecommunication grade fiber of0.01 nm/° C. to at least 0.05 nm/° C.

For purposes of the present invention it is preferable that the FBGarray have a collective reflection spectrum from about 1220 nm to about1680 nm. In a case as illustrated in which the FBG wavelength separationis as much as 3.5 nm, a collective reflection spectrum of 35 nm isadequate, suggesting that a range of from 1540 nm to 1580 nm isadequate. In addition, the tunable laser scanning range that isavailable is from 1500 nm to 1600 nm.

TESTS AND RESULTS Test 1

A high sensitivity germanium doped single mode fiber that ishydrogenated at a temperature of 80° C. and pressure of 600 psi was usedto write 10 FBGs to fabricate a 10 point temperature sensor. The fiberparameters are:

Fiber (cladding) diameter=125 μm, core diameter 9.8 μm, numericalaperture 0.13, cutoff wavelength 1213 nm, index of refraction (n)approximately 1.46. The fiber used was Fibercore PS1500.

The FBGs were written into the fiber, each being 5 mm long separated by0.02 mm and corresponding to FBG wavelengths separated by 3.5 nm, asfollows:

Bragg Wavelength (nm) 1 1548 2 1551.5 3 1555 4 1558.5 5 1562 6 1565.5 71569 8 1572.5 9 1576 10 1579.5

This sensor array was dip coated in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) (highmolecular weight 18,226-5 from Sigma Aldrich) dissolved in chloroform,to a thickness of about 0.9 mm, and cured under high temperature in avacuum oven.

In each case the sensor was placed inside a plastic tube of 3 mm innerdiameter and immersed in a water bath. The bath temperature was startedat 65° C. allowed to cool. The temperature of the water was varied from65° C. to 25° C. The temperature response was obtained at intervals.

The reflection spectra of the 10-sensor array was measured by a highspeed tunable laser based detection system. The tunable laser system forreading the reflection spectra is shown in FIG. 5 showing a sensor 10, atunable laser 30, a wavelength selective detector 32 and a speciallyprogrammed processor 34.

A spectral plot of the reflection spectra from one measurement of thistest is shown in FIG. 6. This spectral plot was made with a scanningrate from the tunable laser light source 30 to 100 nm/s. The samplingrate of the detector 32 was 60 kS/s. This spectral plot shows indistinctpeaks when the interrogation is at a high scanning rate over thewavelength range.

The 10 different values of dλ/dT (Kt) are for each 5 mm location of theFBG, corresponding to the slope of each FBG response on the plot of FIG.7. The baseline temperature λ_(o) is 0° C. The Kt's are allapproximately (actually greater than) 50 pm/° C. that is the responserequired to obtain the 0.1° C. temperature resolution.

The slope of each curve, which defines Kt is shown below.

dλ/dT (nm/° C.) λ_(o) (nm) 0.05667 1545.5 0.07075 1548.0 0.06980 1550.90.06338 1554.2 0.05412 1557.9 0.05941 1560.4 0.05669 1563.8 0.052011566.8 0.04898 1569.9 0.4629 1573.3

In order to resolve the indistinct peaks, a set of peak detection andcalibration algorithms is employed. This is described in detail below.After application of the algorithms, the spectral plots will have afitted curve from which a peak can be derived (see FIG. 12).

A second sensor array was prepared in the same way but was not coated.

A selected one of the FBGs in the coated and uncoated arrays were testedfor thermal response. The tunable laser was used as the interrogatingsource. The reflected light was directed to the detector and processedto determine the wavelength shift for each specimen as the temperaturewas increased. The results are shown in FIG. 8 in which line A shows theresponse from the specimen coated with PMMA and line B shows theresponse for the uncoated specimen. The response lines demonstrate thatthe PMMA coated specimen had a temperature sensitivity on the order of 5times that of the uncoated specimen. That is, Kt for the uncoated sensorwas 0.0104, while for the coated sensor Kt was 0.0526

Test 2

In another test the coating was polyethylene. The two specimens wereprepared and the test conducted and the results processed in the sameway as for Test 1. The results are shown in FIG. 9. The response linesdemonstrate that the polyethylene coated specimen had a temperaturesensitivity Kt on the order of 1.57 times that of the uncoated specimen.

Test 3

In another test the coating was polytetraflouroethylene (Teflon). Thetwo specimens were prepared and the test conducted and the resultsprocessed in the same way as for tests 1 and 2. The results are shown inFIG. 10. The response lines demonstrate that the Teflon coated specimenhad temperature sensitivity on the order of 2.8 times that of theuncoated specimen.

Detection System

FIG. 11 shows the system that embodies the system aspect of theinvention in the hyperthermia context in which a catheter has atemperature sensor (optical fiber thermometer) comprising a series ofFBGs on an optical fiber. In considering this system description in thehyperthermia context it is appreciated that the system can be appliedmutatis mutandis to other applications.

All surgical procedures incorporate some degree of risk, and may causephysical, financial and even psychological distress to a patient and thepatient's family. This is particularly true in the case of prostateproblems because the results of surgery can seriously affect a man'squality of life. Because of these risks, less destructive and lessinvasive, but effective, alternatives have been the subjects ofextensive research and increased use. Among these alternatives,microwave hyperthermia has been clinically proven to be an effective,efficient and non-toxic method for treating tumors. Unfortunately itsuse has been limited by the lack of an effective tool to monitor andthereby control the amount of heat distribution during microwavetreatment of tumors. This has been a problem both respecting the amountof heat and its exact location and distribution in the human organ undertreatment. One problem in particular is the need to measure temperatureand temperature change over short distances and with very high accuracy.

The present invention is a temperature sensor and an associated systemthat can be used in-vivo in conjunction with therapeutic heatapplication such as hyperthermia, including microwave therapy. Theinvention is a temperature profiling sensor that senses temperature andtemperature change along a short distance adjacent or within an animalorgan; and that can do so with a very high degree of sensitivity fortemperature change.

The sensor can be implemented in one example to measure multiple pointsalong a 5 to 10 cm sensor length, with the ability to pinpoint targetareas within 0.5 cm. It can also be implemented to monitor temperaturesover a large range at each sensing point, including the range desiredfor microwave hyperthermia of 35° C. to 55° C. with a 0.1° C.temperature resolution. These measurements can be accomplished with theinvention with no cross sensitivity to microwave self-heating. Theinvention is implemented with a single mode or multi-mode optical fiberwith a specially defined coating as described above. It will readilyinterface with clinical hyperthermia catheters.

In the particular application for hyperthermia the sensor will providean axial arranged array of FBGs, each being 0.5 cm long that willprovide high sensitivity (better than 0.5° C.), high accuracy (0.1° C.)and accurate spatial resolution (0.5 cm) in a single optical fiber.Distributed thermometry is accomplished remotely, using anoptoelectronic module that will measure temperature induced wavelengthshifts of the Bragg wavelengths.

Thermal Response Change of 10 Sensor Array Upon Coating with PMMA BareUncoated Sensor Coated Sensor Temperature Response, TemperatureResponse, FBG Kt (pm/° C.) Kt (pm/° C.) 1 11.0 41.4 2 10.3 41.8 3 9.440.2 4 9.3 39.8 5 9.2 40.4 6 9.7 38.9 7 9.6 39.2 8 10.6 42.3 9 11.9 38.310 8.8 25.8

As already noted, it is desirable to obtain temperature changes at alevel of at least 0.1° C., and, as well, temperature reading to anaccuracy of at least 0.1° C. in FBGs that are used in an array over sucha short distance that the FBGs have to be quite short themselves. Thisis particularly the case in hyperthermia treatment. However whenattempting to resolve the reflection spectra of such short FBGs to theprecision that will give such sensitivity, the peak of the reflectionspectra is too indistinct, as shown in FIG. 6.

The following described aspect of the invention is directed at solvingthat problem. In this description, reference is made to the system ofFIG. 5.

A temperature sensor having sufficient resolution to detect changes intemperature of 0.1° C. or better is needed. One such temperature sensoris that shown and described above.

The temperature sensor 10 is interrogated by a scanning light source asexemplified by a tunable laser scanning light source 30 having ascanning wavelength range sufficiently broad to cause reflection fromall the FBGs and operating at a selected or otherwise set scanning rate.

Reflections from the FBGs are sent to the wavelength selective detector32 that operates at a sampling rate that is selected or set, preferablyby a specially programmed processor. The detector converts the reflectedlight signals from the FBGs to electrical changes varying in time thatis converted to wavelength.

The reflected lights signals are in a form as seen on FIG. 6 which is sofinely resolved that there is no distinct peak. The following describedprocess is used to define peaks for the reflected signals from each FBG.First it is necessary to have the specified characteristic peakwavelength (as defined above) for each FBG.

The processor is programmed with algorithms for detecting changes anddefining peaks in the FBG reflected spectra including the steps ofthresholding, binning, smoothing and least squares fitting.

A major constraint is that the peaks must be spaced such that the binsdo not overlap. If the bins overlap, more than one peak per channelcould be detected, and incorrect shifts would be observed and recorded.In addition if a peak moves out of its predefined bin due to the appliedtemperature exceeding that accounted for in the pre-defined bin, thereflected signal will no longer be identified nor will its peak bedetected to indicate the temperature of the location at which it existsHence the size of the bin must be selected extremely carefully keepingall these factors in mind.

One aspect that affects the binning size is accomplished by selectingsufficient wavelength separation of the wavelength adjacent FBGs, whichin turn is a function of the expected temperature range. In general ifthe desired Kt is lower, then the minimum wavelength separation betweenFBGs can be lower or conversely as the desired Kt is increased, theminimum wavelength separation between FGBs must be higher.

For hyperthermia purposes having a temperature range of about 38° C. toabout 45° C., a Kt of 20 pm/° C., a wavelength separation of 0.5 nm isconsidered as being the minimum. For procedures in which largertemperature ranges in particular, higher temperatures are expected suchas ablation procedures, a wavelength separation of 3.5 nm is preferredassuming a Kt of 50 pm/° C. and a temperature range from roomtemperature (25° C.) to 100° C.

$\frac{\begin{matrix}{{The}\mspace{14mu} {sampling}\mspace{14mu} {rate}\mspace{14mu} ( {{data}\mspace{14mu} {points}\text{/}\sec} )\mspace{14mu} {is}\mspace{14mu} {defined}\mspace{14mu} {by}} \\{{light}\mspace{14mu} {source}\mspace{14mu} {scanning}\mspace{14mu} {rate}\mspace{14mu} ( {{nm}\text{/}\sec} )}\end{matrix}}{{desired}\mspace{14mu} {temperature}\mspace{14mu} {resolution}\mspace{14mu} ( {\deg \mspace{14mu} {C.}} ) \times {{Kt}( {{nm}\text{/}\deg \mspace{14mu} {C.}} )}}$

In the system of FIG. 6 the sampling rate is applied to the wavelengthselective detector 32.

False (additional) peaks can also be detected due to changingintensities of the side lobes of an FBG, where the side lobe peaks mayincrease above the pre-defined intensity threshold measurement during ameasurement. This is remedied by implementing a least squares polynomialfit to the raw data of the entire FBG's spectral envelope for eachreflection event. The peaks are fit to at least a second orderpolynomial. A LABVIEW curve-fit program has been used for thisprocedure.

FIG. 12 shows an exemplary fitted curve from an exemplary spectral plotusing the above procedure.

The foregoing Detailed Description of exemplary and preferredembodiments is presented for purposes of illustration and disclosure inaccordance with the requirements of the law. It is not intended to beexhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise form or formsdescribed, but only to enable others skilled in the art to understandhow the invention may be suited for a particular use or implementation.The possibility of modifications and variations will be apparent topractitioners skilled in the art. No limitation is intended by thedescription of exemplary embodiments which may have included tolerances,feature dimensions, specific operating conditions, engineeringspecifications, or the like, and which may vary between implementationsor with changes to the state of the art, and no limitation should beimplied therefrom. This disclosure has been made with respect to thecurrent state of the art, but also contemplates advancements and thatadaptations in the future may take into consideration of thoseadvancements, namely in accordance with the then current state of theart. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by theClaims as written and equivalents as applicable. Reference to a claimelement in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one”unless explicitly so stated. Moreover, no element, component, nor methodor process step in this disclosure is intended to be dedicated to thepublic regardless of whether the element, component, or step isexplicitly recited in the Claims. No claim element herein is to beconstrued under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Sec. 112, sixth paragraph,unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for . .. ” and no method or process step herein is to be construed under thoseprovisions unless the step, or steps, are expressly recited using thephrase “comprising step(s) for . . . ”

1. A temperature profiling sensor for providing temperature indicationsover a distance comprising; an optical fiber having a plurality oflinearly spaced apart FBGs formed therealong over a selected length eachof said FBGs having a different initial periodicity wherein each FBG isresponsive to incident light to produce a reflected wavelength spectrumsaid wavelength spectra being representative of the ambient temperatureproximate to each FBG; a non-conductive coating in sufficiently strongdirect or indirect contact with the optical fiber at least over theselected length such that response to the temperature proximate to eachFBG by the coating is substantially transmitted as strain to theselected length of the optical fiber and consequently to the FBGs, saidcoating having a CTE greater than that of the optical fiber; wherebyexpansion or contraction of the coating due to the temperature exteriorto the coating, local to each FBG, causes mechanical strain to betransmitted to the FBGs and consequent change in the reflectedwavelength of each FBG as a function of the temperature proximatethereto said mechanical strain being greater than the thermal strainthat would result alone from the optical fiber being exposed to the sametemperature thereby increasing the sensitivity of the optical fiber totemperature changes.
 2. The temperature profiling sensor of claim 1wherein the coating is selected to have a CTE of at least about 2×10⁻⁶/°C.
 3. The temperature profiling sensor of claim 1 wherein the coating isselected to have a CTE sufficient to strain the FBGs to cause areflected wavelength shift per unit temperature (Kt) of at least about20 picometers/° C.
 4. The temperature profiling sensor of claim 1further wherein the FBGs have a separation distance no greater thanabout 10 micrometers.
 5. The temperature profiling sensor of claim 1wherein the unstrained peak wavelength separation of wavelength adjacentFBGs is greater than (Kt) (Tr)+X in which; Kt is a desired change inreflected wavelength per unit temperature, Tr is an expected maximumtemperature range, and X is an expected wavelength change induced bynon-thermal effects.
 6. The temperature profiling sensor of claim 5 inwhich Kt is at least about 20 picometers/° C.
 7. The temperatureprofiling sensor of claim 6 in which Tr is a range from about 20° C. toabout 55° C.
 8. The temperature profiling sensor of claim 1 wherein theFBGs have a collective reflection spectrum from about 1220 nm to about1680 nm.
 9. The temperature profiling sensor of claim 1 wherein the FBGshave individual lengths of about 5 mm or less.
 10. The temperatureprofiling sensor of claim 1 further comprising a light source connectedto the optical fiber to provide scanning incident light to the FBGs, thelight source having a wavelength range sufficient to obtain a reflectionfrom each FBG.
 11. The temperature profiling sensor of claim 3 whereinthe FBGs are constructed such that the reflected wavelength shift of atleast 20 picometers/° C. occurs during exposure of the temperaturesensor to a temperature range from about 30° C. to about 55° C.
 12. Thetemperature profiling sensor of claim 1 wherein the coating has a glasstransition temperature effectively lower or higher than the operatingrange of the sensor such that the properties of the Young's modulus ofthe coating remain predictable and unchanged in that temperature range13. The temperature profiling sensor of claim 2 wherein the CTE of thecoating is at least about 4 times that of the fiber.
 14. The temperatureprofiling sensor of claim 8 wherein the FBGs are exposed to incidentlight having a range of about 1500 nm to 1600 nm from a light sourcehaving a scanning rate of at least 20 nm/second.
 15. The temperatureprofiling sensor of claim 8 wherein the FBGs have a collectivereflection spectrum from about 1540 nm to about 1580 nm.
 16. Thetemperature profiling sensor of claim 10 wherein the FBGs have acollective reflection spectrum from about 1220 nm to about 1680 nm. 17.The temperature profiling sensor of claim 16 wherein the FBGs havecollective reflection spectrum from about 1540 nm to about 1580 nm. 18.The temperature profiling sensor of claim 16 wherein the scanning lightsource has a wavelength range from about 1500 nm to about 1600 nm with ascanning rate of at least about 20 nm/second.
 19. The temperatureprofiling sensor of claim 1 wherein the coating is a material of atleast substantially polymer content.
 20. The temperature profilingsensor of claim 19 wherein the polymer is selected from the groupconsisting of; (a) polystyrene; (b) polymethylmethacrylate; (c)polyethylene; (d) polytetrachloride; (e) Polytetraflouroethylene; and(f) combinations of (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e).
 21. The temperatureprofiling sensor of claim 1 wherein the separation of the specifiedcharacteristic peak wavelength of each FGB is at least 0.5 nm.
 22. Thetemperature profiling sensor of claim 21 further wherein the reflectionspectrum of any FBG has no sideband greater than 10% of the peakintensity of the reflection spectrum.